Improved device for attaching lightning-rods



J. B. ELLIOTT.

I Lightning Rod. No. 18,963. Patented Dec. 29, 1857.

MPETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. O C.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. B. ELLIOTT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED DEVICE FOR ATTACHING LIGHTNING-RODS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 18,963, dated December29, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. B. ELLIOTT, of Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Lightning- Oonductors; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention.Fig. 2 is an enlarged front view of a portion of same. Fig. 3 is anenlarged back view of a portion of same. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectionof same, taken in the line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectionof same, taken in the line 00 as, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

The object of this invention is to so connect the conductor to thebuilding as to insure a firm support, due provision being made againstthe casual detachment of the conductor through atmosphericalchanges-via, heat and coldand a good insulator also obtained.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention I will proceed to describe it.

I construct the conductor of copper strips to of suitable lengths. Thesestrips are cut or formed from sheet-copper, may be of any desired width,and are corrugated longitudinally, as shown clearly in Figs. 4 or 5. Thestrips may be swaged or rolled to form these corrugations, the objectbeing to obtain a requisite degree of stifiness with thin plate, andalso to present as great an area or surface as possible with a moderatewidth. The edges of the strips (4 are serrated or notched, so as to formhorizontal saw-toothed projections, as plainly shown at a in Figs. 2 and3. The ends of the strips a are connected as follows: The adjoining endsof the strips are made to overlap each other a short distance, and ataper or wedged shaped tang, b, passes through the overlapped ends. Thetang b is connected to the center of V the concave side of a curvedcopper head, 0, the ends of which are notched or serrated, so that vthewhole of their surfaces-that is, of their endswill bear against the backsides of the strips a a, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 at d (I, one endbearing against one strip, a, and the opposite end against the other oradjoining strip. The head 0 has horizontal portions 0 e projecting atequal distances from it, one portion, 6, projecting from the concave,and the other, e, from the convex, side of the head. The tang b isconnected with the portion 6, the edge of which is fluted so as tocorrespond inversely in form with the corrugations of the strips a, andthereby cause the whole of its surface to be in contact with the surfaceof the back of the strip a. The other portion, 6', has two holes, ff,made through it to receive the ends of wires 9 g, which are so bent thateach has a coil, h, to give'it a requisite degree of elasticity. (SeeFigs. 1 and 4.) The two wires 9 g are both formed of a single piece, areof equal length, but their ends are bent in reverse directions, so thatthe end of one wire, y, will pass into the upper surface of the portion0, and the other, g, into the under surface. The two wires g g aresecured in the head of a malleable cast-iron spike or nail, t, which isdriven into the building, and this spike or nail may be cast around thewire. The wires 9 g are formed of ordinary iron wire, which, being aworse conductor than copper, prevents the fluid from passing into thebuilding.

On the shank of the nail or spike there is placed a piece ofgutta-percha, j, to prevent moisture from working in around the spike.

Through the tang b a copper key, k, passes. This key has a notch, I,made in its outer edge at its center to allow the portion of the tang bat the front edge of the hole through which the key passes to fittherein, and thus retain the key in proper place, the elasticity of thestrip a pressing the key forward. This will be understood by referringto Fig. 5. Three connections may be used between the joints of theconductor for connecting the rod to the building, (see Fig. 1,) in whichA represents one serving that purpose only.

The wires g 9 allow the conductor to expand and contract withoutaffecting in any degree the close contact of the joints.

I do not claim forming a conductor of corrugated metal strips or plates,for they have Connecting the conductor to thebuilding by been previouslyused. Neither do I claim sermeans of the wires-.g g, bent as shown, andrating or notching the edges of the strips which secured in the head ofthe spike or nail i, for form the conductor. Nor do I claim the manthepurpose herein set forth.

ner of connecting said strips; but, J. B. ELLIOTT.

Having thus, described my invention, what Witnesses I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Let- STEPHEN F. MILLER, ters Patent, is- O. S.WHITE.

